By riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey, Jesus descends from the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem, and the crowds -mostly Jews- lay their clothes on the ground to welcome him as he triumphantly enters Jerusalem.

200 decades later his followers, Christians and specially Palestinian Christians who are the holy land origins, are being restricted, assaulted, denied entry to simply commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

All we wanted is to share this feast with our 19-months daughter in Jerusalem but Qalandia military checkpoint has prevented us to pass through. We had to wait for more than an hour to pass through the mental detectors and with the unreasonable closure due to the mood of the military force, we withdraw and missed the Palm Sunday procession. You can imagine the little one waiting in an open-air checkpoint, noontime, fully crowded, smoky area, she just went fussy!

He was absorbed taking care of each single tree, 39 trees between 2-150 years old, were inherited from his parents and grandparents.

During a family olive harvest day, my 65-years-old dad was happily sharing with us his respect and love to every olive tree, he narrated their life-time stories that made me feel like I have another 39 brothers and sisters.

Amer Zahr, the Arab-American Comedian and Author, posted on his Facebook page: “they need guns, tanks, and flags to prove they belong in the land. We just need our names.” Zahr was pointing to the Israeli occupation who stole and still stealing the Palestinian land. My father still remember the days when our grandparents planted their lands, and on that land our names were engraved.

Even a good day can get bad, just because we -Palestinians- are not allowed to enjoy a simple family beach trip safely.

Living in the West Bank, movement restriction counts a major impact on our daily life. Following the second Intifada, West Bankers were banned to drive within the occupied land of 1967, including East-Jerusalem, not even to travel without a permit document which has a special procedures for issuing.*

With all the travel difficulties, starting with the inhumane treatment at checkpoints, metal detectors, blocked access to elderly and baby-strollers gates, to high financial transportation charges. Me and my family are still eager to enjoy a basic right of a trip to the beach.

This summer, my baby-girl FILISTIA, turned one and was able to master her playing skills. Being aware of all restrictions, I was pushing towards taking her to the beach even if once! And here (in the slideshow) goes the journey;

Filistia and my nephew waiting for about one hour in front of the disabled gate, which hasn’t been opened in years, as claimed by the aggressive Israeli Occupied Force. You can imagine when babies are tied for that long how fussy they get.

After a hassle argument from behind the bullet-proof container that the IOF was settled in, she has forced us to fold the strollers, carry the baby-carriers and manage with the help of 3 other people to pass through 4 metal rolling cages, that barely fits a person, and get the babies pass the metal dedectors several times because the strollers where simply.. beeping !

Still, the return has been also hectic, we had to disturb Filistia’s sleep, wrap here, and pass again the metal gates in the open-air checkpoint where it was cold enough to get a flu 😦

I was curious to look through and see what is there, what is there behind this huge block that prevents me and my people from accessing through.

Among the planned 810km length of the Israeli Apartheid Wall, a hole in one of the 8m height blocks, in the so called Rachel’s Tomb area (north of Bethlehem), was found. And I managed through my lens to capture this image.

For a couple of seconds, I had the feeling of victory, that I could’ve broken through this giant barrier, smell the fresh air of the occupied piecemeal , and mostly enjoy the green nature.

A very old Roman Olive Tree was standing there, proving to the world that no matter what, we are still Resisting by Existing!

“Right to Movement” is the banner of the Palestine Marathon; as it is the basic human right stipulated in Article 13 of the UN Human Rights Charter: ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of movement’(1)

But running the marathon for the second time has presented to me other rights to freedom; freedom to live, to express yourself freely, and to enjoy this challenging life, that Palestinians are living due to the occupation and some cultural difficulties.

April 1st, 2016 has marked a new successful day in Bethlehem, Palestine. 64 nationalities had the chance to participate in the 4th annual marathon. Several cultures, white and black, girls and boys, muslims and christians, different stories and goals but at that spot of the world they all shared one goal; reaching the finishing line with love and peace!

Saleem and Lubna Anfous were longing to see their first daughters’ steps. They run the marathon every year since their daughter was 3-months old. Saleem wants to see her a ‘super-girl’ in the future, successful Palestinian girl who fights peacefully for her freedom.

Celia runs and dances happily with her parents without yet understanding her people’s restrictions in moving easily in Palestine.

A Palestinian lady proves her right to run with ‘niqab’ showing a peaceful image of Muslims who have been presented lately as terrors in the world. Photo by Bethlehem Bible College-Amira Farhoud

Over 1000 international participant ran this year’s marathon. Brain has run 21km finishing the line with a wonderful marriage proposal to Lia at the Manager Square, Nativity Church. Photo by George Zeidan

Ahmad, a young boy from Ayda Refugee Camp, is collecting the marbles beside the apartheid wall at the northern entrance of Bethlehem. The Palestinian protestors uses these marbles to fight against the occupied Israeli forces.

Aboud was with Ahmad and their friends standing right here watching the demonstrations from far away, when the Israeli sniper shot him dead from that gate.

“I want to become a policeman”, Ahmad said while standing behind one of the blocks where the Israeli sniper usually stands during demonstrations. “A policeman holds a gun and defends for justice, and so I want to defend my friends when I grow up” Ahmad insisted.

Ahmad and his friends hang out during their day-off school without caring about the Israeli forces who were threatening and shouting at them from the military tower.

Abd Al Rahman, AKA Aboud, 13 years old, was Ahmad’s classmate, he was one among 30 other children killed in the latest popular revolution since October 2015.

Archaeologists find marble game boards and playing pieces in some of the earliest excavated graves in Egypt and the Middle East. In Palestine, marbles are also used as a defense tool during the demonstrations.